When it’s hot out, all you want is to reach the cool interior of your home. Nothing derails those plans faster than turning on your AC and being greeted with a blast of hot air.
If you’ve experienced this before, it’s an indicator that your AC is leaking. AC leaks can impact the performance of your HVAC system, which can leave your home a veritable oven.
To avoid getting caught in a hot home, you should learn to recognize some of the signs that indicate a leaking AC. Here are five things you should look out for.
1. Lower Airflow Means AC Leaks
When you put your hand up to a vent, you should feel a steady stream of air. If the air feels weak or nonexistent, your AC unit is leaking freon. Refrigerant is what cools the air when you turn on your air conditioning.
When your unit leaks, it can impact the airflow from the vent.
2. Hissing Sounds From the AC Unit
Leaking refrigerant is a result of holes or cracks in the coils that circulate refrigerant. Hissing can be the result of multiple problems, but a leak is among them. As the refrigerant passes by the cracks in the coils, it produces the hissing you hear.
If you hear hissing from your AC unit, you should call a technician immediately. The hissing sound from the unit is eerie enough, but as the holes and cracks get bigger, the hissing sound can become a rumbling, gurgling sound.
3. Loss of Cooling Power
We’ve already mentioned that refrigerant is what cools down the air. It absorbs the heat in your home and releases outside. When your unit gets low on refrigerant, it takes longer for your home to cool down, if it cools down at all.
If you notice that your thermostat reading isn’t going down, it’s one of the warning signs of a leaking unit. When it’s really hot outside, it can also lead to the temperature in your home rising as it gets hotter.
4. Frozen AC Coils
As the refrigerant level in the unit drops, the coils cannot properly absorb heat from your home. This can lead to condensation on your coils freezing. Sometimes, the ice on the coils will melt and drip onto the floor.
If you spot water around your AC unit, this is a telltale sign that the coils are freezing. Even though the ice itself isn’t a serious issue, it can lead to system breakdowns.
5. Higher Energy Bills
When you set a temperature on your thermostat, your unit runs to get the temperature to the desired level. If your unit doesn’t have refrigerant, your unit will run until it can get to the temperature you set. This can cause your unit to run continually, which can lead to a higher bill.
If your bill seems abnormally high, especially compared to what it was at that point last year, there’s something wrong with your unit.
Stay Comfortable in Your Home Year Round
AC leaks can cause headaches for you and your family, but they are pretty easy to spot. Watch for frozen coils, higher energy bills, hissing sounds, reduced airflow, and lower cooling power. The sooner you address an AC leak, the better off you’ll be.
If you have AC leaks, call Romeo Air Conditioning, Inc. We can get your unit back to the way it should be. If you live in Naples, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Marco Island, or Estero, give us a call for your HVAC needs.